what was the youngest age ever recored surfing?

Hello taj1,

Thank you for your question. 

Here are a few sites noting youngest surfers:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/06/27/1023864631221.html
The Big Kahuna

"...He was 17 and brimming with confidence after becoming the youngest
surfer ever to be invited to compete in the qualifying trials for
Pipeline Masters, the sport's most prestigious competition..."


http://www.activisiono2.com/slater/slater_bio.html
Activision

"...Never has anyone dominated surfing like Kelly Slater. The six-time
World Champion is the hero of surfers worldwide. Even from his early
teens, Slater was a natural competitor, claiming six Eastern Surfing
Association and four National titles before heading into the big
leagues.

At the age of twenty, in his first full year on the tour, Slater
became the youngest surfer ever to win the world title, backing up the
hype that had been growing around him..."


http://www.lineup.com.au/profiles/tararyan/contests99.html
LineUp

Tara Ryan

"...Became the youngest surfer in recorded history to win an open
contest series anywhere in the world at the age of 8.
Confirmed by Surf Australia. 

Scored a perfect 10 in my second ever contest.
 
Scored a 32.5/40 in my first ever open heat aged 7..."

And, in a press kit for children's book "Simon Makes Waves":
http://www.talion.com/presskits/childrens-fitness.html#BG1

"...Are there real-life surfers as young as Simon appears to be in the
book? Well...

In the South Pacific, where the sport originated, surfing was
considered a children's activity. In western Polynesia, Melanesia and
Micronesia, board surfing was done only by young boys, while in Hawaii
and eastern Polynesia it was practiced by both sexes and all ages for
thousands of years. The child-size surfboards used were similar to
what we call "boogieboards today.

In Australia, the Point Lookout Surfriders Club operates a special
surfing program for children as young as age four.

In the Philippines, the Yokohama Surfing School accepts students as
young as age six. Mara Yokohama, the daughter of the surfing school
owner, started surfing at age five and today, at age seven, is hailed
as the country's youngest full-fledged surfer.

www.yokohamasurf.com.ph/yokohamasurf/prdata.htm">www.yokohamasurf.com.ph/yokohamasurf/prdata.htm

In a recent Taiwan surfing championship, the youngest competitor was
seven-year-old Henry Sun. He had been surfing since age four.

In the United States, the National Scholastic Surfing Association
admits students as young as age 11 to their Junior Program, which
teaches competition surfing. After completing the program, the youths
can compete in Open events to win college scholarships with their
surfing ability. In the 2000 competition, Tommy O'Brien of Melbourne
Beach, Florida, became the youngest East Coast surfer to place in the
NSSA Open Men's Final. The following year, Jensen Hasset was the
youngest Open Juniors finalist at age 13. But youngest surfer honors
go to Kellen Ellison, who in 2001 won the Open Boys Finals at age
12—for the fourth year in a row..."

While there may be undocumented early age surfers, this appears to be
a good sampling of some of the youngest documented early surfers.

Search Strategy:

"youngest surfer" +ever OR "on record"

I trust my research has provided you with interesting statisitcs on
early surfers. If a link above should fail to work or anything require
further explanation or research, please do post a Request for
Clarification prior to rating the answer and closing the question and
I will be pleased to assist further.

Regards,

-=clouseau=-

thanks